


Affirmation

by ItFlare



Series: What Happens After (and Sometimes Before) [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bashful Yugi, Blindshipping, Blushing, Cuddling & Snuggling, M/M, Pet Names, Pharaoh Lives, Praise, Puzzleshipping, post cannon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 02:09:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16232039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItFlare/pseuds/ItFlare
Summary: Yugi silently prays to whatever god gave them both this chance that Atem can feel these grand feelings through their bond in the same way he can.And he does.Oh he does.





	Affirmation

_How beautiful._

 

Atem thinks as he clutches so desperately at the treasure in his lap.

 

_How wonderful this new life is._

 

He smiles into a clothed shoulder and takes a deep breath through his nose. The slow upturn of his lips can be felt by the younger boy in his lap.

 

“Partner..” he whispers into dark fabric.

 

Yugi shivers at the deep baritone of his pharaohs voice. He bites his lip as a healthy flush makes its way across the bridge of his nose.

 

Atem nuzzles deeper towards the junction of his other halfs neck and shoulder. Yugi's shoulder jerks at the feeling. His body curls in on itself slightly.

 

He wants this, he _really_ does. And he knows Atem would never mean to make him uncomfortable or take advantage of these big feelings taking up so much space in his chest but.. Well..

 

Yugi’s never been this.. _Intimate_ before. And things are just so _new_ and he’s never felt Atems body so regal and _real_ before. He’s so beautiful and well..

 

It’s a lot to take in.

 

He knows they look similar but not _really._ Well not to him.

 

Where Yugi is soft eyed with rounded edges Atems body is more matured with muscle and broadened shoulders. His skin is tanned and healthy, almost glowing in the sunlight. Atems presence demands to be noticed, a king through and through.

 

And Yugi is.. well..

 

He’s awkward and short and he hides himself away in his school uniform so he can be just a _little_ less noticeable. He’s not always sure of himself and is in no way a dominating presence. Especially not when next to his king.

 

Yugi feels his face heat up at that last part.

“Comparison is the thief of joy, is it not, dear heart?”

 

Yugi's shoulders soften at the familiar phrase.

 

 _Of course_ _Atem knows._

 

Pharoah presses his nose into the younger boys shirt one last time before pulling back. It's so hard to hold back but he knows he must. He’s never felt such warmth towards another person before, never had to put a hold back on his affections toward anyone he’s wanted. But it's not so bad as long as he gets to hold his partner near. Especially since his little one needs affirmation he's more than willing to give.

 

Atems hands fall to rest on the smaller ones clenched in Yugi’s lap. He caresses the paler skin with his thumb before they open, letting him weave his fingers between Yugis.

 

“They thought me a god, but they’d never laid eyes on you, _Imi-ib._ ”

 

Yugi's head turns to the side. Atem knows he is doing his best to suppress the small smile gracing his lips. He also knows his little one flushes when given praise. A reaction the pharaoh _loves._

 

“Yeah, but you're.. You.”

 

Atem lets out a mirthful huff.

 

“Are we not two sides of the same coin, _ibib._ ”

 

Yugi smiles down at their joined hands and doesn’t give an answer. Atem rubs his cheek against his little ones making Yugi's face tighten with suppressed laughter. He can feel the blush on Yugi's face and it's _adorable._ Not that he’d say that outloud.

 

Well not in this moment…

 

 _But_ _later._

 

Atem tucks the thought away for another time. Preferably one where his dearhearts face is clouded over with a sour expression. Or maybe he’d whisper it in his ear around their friends just to watch Yugi sputter and pout.

 

Atems heart can’t handle the image.

 

He distracts himself by watching Yugi’s slender fingers play with his own.

 

They sit silently, back to front with Yugi in his pharaohs lap. They’re alone in the living room and the tv is turned off. Grandpa went to bed over an hour ago so it's just the two of them for the rest of the night. Perhaps in the future they can do more than this. But for now it's enough. Until Yugi is more comfortable and less shaken under the pharaohs hands, this is more than enough.

 

Yugi stares down at said hands. He turns them over in his own, tracing the lines on Atems palm with his finger and watching the muscles move as they open and close. Atems hands are larger than his, bonier and more urbane. They’re masculine in a way Yugi’s aren’t. More mature. Tan and beautiful in their own way, like the rest of his restored body. Yugi is enamored.

 

Atem buries his face in his partners shoulder. He smiles into the fabric again as warmth floods his soul. Yugi’s never been good at keeping his feelings to himself, especially now when he’s so filled with them. He cares so little for himself and so deeply for others. Atem wishes Yugi could see himself. Yugi's grown so much since they met, conquered so many fears and hurdles.

 

“My little one..” The pharaoh breathes, lifting his arms to wrap them around the boy in his lap.

The old nickname makes Yugi’s heart swell.

 

“You were so small when I first met you.. and now here you are so grown and sitting in my lap. How lucky am I to have this second chance with you?”

 

Atem feels Yugi blush down to his torso. The smaller boys face heats up so vividly Yugi thinks that his other half may be the death of him. What a way to go, though there are quite a few things he’d like to try before meeting his demise. Things involving Atem to be specific. He blushes even deeper.

 

Atem smiles into his partners dark t-shirt yet again.

 

“Not even death could take me from your side, dear heart. We have all the time in the world.”

 

Yugi sputters within the others hold.

 

“You can’t just say that stuff!” he whimpers into his hands.

 

Atem lets out an amused huff and loosens his hold on the flustered boy in his lap. “Oh, I can’t?”, he teases.

 

Yugi shakes his head, red face still hidden. The pharoah does his best to suppress his laughter and runs a soothing hand up and down his charges arm instead. He repeats the motion until Yugi’s tense shoulders soften. The boy still hides behind his hands but at least he no longer looks at risk of bursting into flames.

 

Atem waits for Yugi to uncover his face but is given no further glimpse of his prize. Eventually the king leans to the side to peek around his partners shoulder. Yugi doesn’t react. Atem feels no discomfort or worry coming from his ward. He frets for a moment and worries that he’d upset Yugi enough to cause him to block out the pharaoh. The stretch of silence lasts until Atem sees a hint of violet playfully peeking through Yugi’s fingers.

 

Atem smiles, rolling his eyes as he wraps his arms around Yugi once again. He gives his partner a quick squeeze before throwing his body to the side and dragging Yugi with him. The teen laughs openly in a way Atem hadn’t heard in far too long. His heart swells with the sound until Yugi remembers the late hour and turns his face into the couch cushion to suppress it.

 

The moment is wonderful and the pharaoh's heart is so full he thinks it might burst.

 

“You're beautiful..” Atem whispers aloud this time. Yugi turns in his arms to face him but keeps his eyes down towards his other halfs chest with a soft smile gracing his features. He presses closer to Atem to lay his forehead against the pharaohs chest. Yugi knows he doesn’t know how to take a compliment, no matter how small or insignificant. He also knows that if he were to speak right now he would stutter and pause enough to work himself into a fit again. He hopes that the contact says more than he’s able to. Yugi silently prays to whatever god gave them both this chance that Atem can feel these grand feelings through their bond in the same way he can.

 

And he does.

 

 _Oh_ he does.

 

And Atem wouldn’t trade it for the world.

  


**Author's Note:**

> This is completely self indulgent and I'm unsure about the quality.


End file.
